Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor pointed out that the promise to give Rs 100 billion for the merged districts has not been fulfilled to date and demanded release of Rs 250 billion to the merged districts.
The First Achievement Awards 2026 ceremony, organized by the Haripur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was held at the Governor’s House in Peshawar on Friday. A large number of members of the Haripur Chamber of Commerce, industrialists, and the business community attended the event. Iran’s Consul General in Peshawar, Ali Banafshehkhah, was also present on the occasion. Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi distributed achievement awards among traders who rendered distinguished services to the national economy.
“I congratulate all the traders receiving awards. Providing maximum facilities and every possible support to the business community is our top priority,” Governor Kundi said. He stated that traders and farmers are the backbone of Pakistan’s economic development.
“If traders and overseas Pakistanis are provided facilities, there will be no need for foreign loans,” he added. He called for speeding up recruitment on 14,000 vacant WAPDA posts in KP and said he would take up electricity-related issues with the federal government.
Highlighting provincial grievances, Governor Kundi said KP is a province rich in natural resources, but these have not been fully utilized. “After the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the province was given vast powers, but they were not effectively used,” he said.
In the past, the federation and the province kept shifting responsibility for the funds of merged districts onto each other,” he stated. The Governor further said KP is the largest gas-producing province, but the ban on CNG is still in place. The supply of wheat to the province has also been restricted. “If the province gets its due share of water, it can meet the entire wheat requirement of Pakistan,” he said.
He stressed that KP demands its constitutional rights, but is given the excuse of a lack of resources. “KP is the largest oil-producing province, yet there is not a single oil refinery here,” he noted.
Kundi said a parliamentary committee should be formed to secure the province’s rights from the federation and assured that the opposition would stand with the government on every issue concerning the province’s interests.
Speaking on national issues, he said the Pakistan Armed Forces gave an effective and befitting response to Indian aggression in four days. “Pakistan has proven to the world that it is a peace-loving and responsible state,” he said.
Referring to Iran-US tensions, he said Pakistan played a positive and constructive role, which was appreciated at the global level. He also pledged that every possible step would be taken to promote trade ties with Iran. The event concluded with Governor Kundi reiterating his commitment to play every possible role in the development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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